Far Ride East #30 Cooroy

[Gadget]

I've done it, I've registered for my first Far Ride.

Now to do the planning.



Thanks IanB and David for encouraging me.

[Abe]

Great stuff Gary,

I must say, some of the fun is planning the trip as well as the ride 

You have the right STead for the task.

Taking Sicman on his first FR this weekend, with ST2UP & Pockey. 

[Gadget]

My plan so far. 

Knock off work just before midday to be at the Coles Express on Airport Drive by Midday to fuel up and head down the Gateway, Logan Motorway to Warwick and then down to Tenterfield on to Casino and Lismore, and possibly a quick bite to eat with my sister.  Then back home for the night and then up in the morning and head off to Kingaroy, Gympie and then Cooroy for 11:30.


Hopefully I'll catch up somewhere along the way with David who has a similar plan.

The Greek scholars (or electronics boffins amongst us) might recognise the delta symbol. 

[Wild Rose]

Great stough ! See you in Cooroy 

[Biggles]

Great stough ! See you in Cooroy 

You'll have to lend me your dictionary for "stough", Leo.  I can find it as a surname but I'm stoughed if I can find its meaning.

[saaz]

I will see you on the road or at cooroy.

[Lionel]

Don't be so grough Biggles. I'm sure its just a blough.

[johnnyYTED]

 
I  am doing this FR to Cooroy, and STaying a few days to catch up with friends,, see you there Gadget and others 

[Streak]

 
I  am doing this FR to Cooroy, and STaying a few days to catch up with friends,, see you there Gadget and others 

if your coming through toowoomba, make sure you stop in and say hello 

[johnnyYTED]

 

if your coming through toowoomba, make sure you stop in and say hello 

Graham I am planning to turn off at Warwick and go across to Somerset Dam, then Beerwah > Cooroy.  Plans can change though as we all know.
my return trip home a few days later will be thru Twmba,so I will drop in at the shop, 

[Gadget]

Well the first 674.2 km are done. 

Had a change of plans and went down to Grafton and back as that is a straight forward route with the highest average speed.


As it turned out, just after I'd refuelled and fed, and got back on the bike, two other bikes pulled up behind mine.  Turns out they were from Brisbane and about to do the return trip as well.  They were also on a Far Ride, it was M n M. 


Up at 6 tomorrow for a 6:30 departure for Cooroy via Nanango.

[johnnyYTED]

My FarRide has finished at Blanford my alternator carkked it...

There won't be another one for a while.   

[ST2UP]

Onya Gary....enjoy mate 


 

[Gadget]

Sorry to hear that JohnnyYTED, I was looking forward to seeing you there.

[johnnyYTED]

Thanks gadget. I was really lQQking forwarded to the ride. And a week back in my old old stomping grounds  the sunny cst
  This FarRide now  has farkled me  so will missa lot more now. 
On the bright side the stars have.come out  hopefully NO rain
My nephew is driving up from Penrith and uhail from scone back home
I'll text Clint Lovell and let him know I am out

[Abe]

Just an update, Johnny is home.

Bike is in the garage and Johnny sounds "buggered" (tired), so he will no doubt sleep for a while.

I will talk to Johnny on Monday and get a game plan happening for the rebirth of the beaST.

Trophy for the first member to use RAN is 

[Gadget]

Well I completed 1017 km with an hour and a half to spare.   


Just after I pulled up in the car park at the Corooy Hotel (great Venue)   WildRose and friends pulled up so we had a chat.
Shortly after IanB and saaz arrived and we all went around the corner to Jamaica Blue coffee shop for a coffee and chat.

As we were heading back to the Hotel to check in, we saw Diesel pull up.  So some more catch-up chat.

After the speeches and meal and drinks and lots more stories, Diesel and IanB suggested a return trip via Skyring road, Kenilworth, Malaney, Woodfoed.  After very little arm twisting (oh alright, next to no arm twisting) We set of with Diesel, saaz, IanB, Myself and one of the Far Riders from Victoria for some enthusiastic riding through some good roads.








Anyway, looking forward to the next. 

[johnnyYTED]

 
Great work Gary, and everyone else who made it. All those roads along the Mary Valley,Connondale across different roads to Maleny right back to an from Kenilworth to Gympie. I was really lQQking forward to them all.
and getting FR#30 under my belt,, didn't happen
  Well done everyone  for FarFinishing 

[Biggles]

Goodonya Gary for getting your number.
Couldn't get to this one- too soon after Cargelligo and run out of Brownie points.   
Sounds like a goodly OzSTOC representation.

[Lionel]

Did Not Finish for me.
The bike and I parted company half-way between Coffs Harbour and Grafton at approx 90 km/hr.
The bike sustained a fair bit of damage. It finished up in a ditch beside the road and has been towed to Woolgoolga.
After bouncing off the tarmac on my left side I skated along the surface and finished up lying on the north bound lane.
The driver of the car behind me said he missed me by a cat's whisker (he actually used a different expression which I won't repeat.)
My greatest fear was the thought of the bike landing on top of me. Then I thought I might spear into one of the trees just off the road. I also worried about how many bones I was going to break. So when I finally stopped the world was so quiet. I wasn't in pain and I could move all my limbs.
People got me off the road and onto my feet at my request. They wanted to ring the ambulance but I felt quite good. I've been in shock on previous occasions and this was not shaping up for another shock session.
The bike's plastic took a beating and the tank bag looked like it had been through a shredder.
So why did I end up in such good shape? I have a guardian angel. And it's not the first time I've been helped in an extraordinary way.
My helmet hit the bitumen hard a couple of times. No headache. I skated along the bitumen on my side and back. No gravel rash of any kind the lack of which I attribute to the Ned's Kevlar-impregnated jeans I was wearing and probably the wet road surface. The jeans are not designed to soften impact and have no inserts. If you look at them you'd think they were a new pair. Sadly I think Ned has gone out of business.
I was wearing a summer jacket that does have internal pads in the usual places. It was soaked when I had the accident and possibly the water filled pads assisted with softening the landing. It weighs a 'ton' now when you pick it up.
One of the witnesses heading south offered to take me to Ballina where I was booked in for the night. He also said he could transport me and my belongings to Sydney once he discovered I lived in Canberra.
So I telephoned my son to meet us in Sydney.
Some people go out of their way to assist others in times of trouble.
I think this is my 8th accident on a bike. This one probably holds the record for causing the worst damage to the bike and least damage to me. But to be fair in the past one could not buy the type of protective gear that is available today.
I was planning to go to the first RTE in the North, Darwin River. I doubt the bike will be repaired or replaced in time.

[Abe]

Glad to hear you are OK.

Yes you do have an guardian angel.

If there is anything I can do just let me know, Canberra is just down the track from here 

The Honda dealer in Campbelltown is fairly quick with parts, and I can deliver.

Don't forget to see a Doctor anyway.

[ST2UP]

Congrats to the finishers  and commiserations to the DNF's   

Johnny be assured to advise what the issue was, and Lionel so glad to hear your ok.... how is your STunning travel companion Erica, I think Saaz may divert home via Woolgoolga to check on her welfare, even take her home and look after her like one of his very own  just looking after one of the OzSTOC family you understand. 


Cheers

[Gadget]

Lionel,


We were all sorry to hear about your unscheduled and unplanned dismount.  I was very glad to hear you were OK.   

You were one of five non-finishers.  JohnnyYTED also had problems.  His were mechanical.



On a lighter side, Winston66 still has two ST1300s he is trying to sell so Darwin River NT still might be a possibility. 
http://ozstoc.com/index.php?topic=6603.msg80572#msg80572

[Gadget]

There was talk of Spare parts and farkles.

Congrats to the finishers  and commiserations to the DNF's 

Johnny be assured to advise what the issue was, and Lionel so glad to hear your ok.... how is your STunning travel companion Erica, I think Saaz may divert home via Woolgoolga to check on her welfare, even take her home and look after her like one of his very own  just looking after one of the OzSTOC family you understand. 


Cheers

[tj189]

Lionel, good to hear that you are ok.